In many multi-occupancy buildings, such as apartment or office buildings, the amount or energy consumed for comfort heating is measured only by a central meter, indicating total energy consumption for the entire building. The cost of the energy used is reflected in the rental or maintenance charges paid by the occupants, but is not pro-rated on the basis of the actual amounts of energy used by the respective tenants, since there is no measurement of the respective amounts. In fact, some cities have ordinances requiring that the cost of electricity be included in the rental rate, in the case of all electrically heated apartments. Studies have shown that buildings wherein energy consumption is centrally metered regularly consume more energy per unit of space served than do buildings wherein energy use is individually metered, other conditions being equal. In most cases, the largest source of energy consumption in multiple-occupancy buildings is comfort temperature control.
Thus, an inequitable situation exists, particularly where the occupants of each individual unit have substantially varied preferences for particular temperature levels. Numerous systems have been proposed to remedy such situations. In this connection, note U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,344,813; 1,411,165; 3,979,952 and 3,995,686.